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A. L. CLARK ENDLESS CONVEYER Filed April 13. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @cit.3(1) R923, H94172,@4@

A. L. CLARK ENDLESS CONVEYER Filed April 13, 1922 2 Sheets-=Sheet 2Fatenteiil (3st. 3@, 1923.

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ALFRED L. CLARK, OF WELLSVILLE, OHIO.

ENDLESS oolvvnym.

Application filed April 13, 1922. Serial No. 552,203.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ALFRED L. CLARK, a citizen of the United States,residing at VVellsville, in the county of Columbiana and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Endless Conveyers,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to conveyer chains, more particularly to chainsemployed in heating ovens, kilns, and the like, where the chains aresubjected to more or less intense heat, and has for one of its objectsto provide a chain of hollow links through which a heating medium iscaused to pass to counteract the heat imparted by the oven or kiln.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterincluding a chain of hollow links having means whereby a heat impartingmedium is consecutively supplied to the links at one point in thetransit of the chain and consecutively exhausted therefrom at anotherpoint in the transit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterincluding a chain of hollow links each having a valved projection andoperating over a chain wheel having a plurality of marginal recesses toconsecutively receive the projections, and

with means carried by the wheel for consecutively. supplying a heatimparting medium to the links as they pass over the wheel.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described andthen specifically pointed out in the claims, and in the drawingsillustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention:

I Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the im roved device,I

Fig. 2 1s an enlarged sectional detail il lustrating the construction ofone of the links,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the main power transmitting wheel andthrough which the heat imparting medium is conducted,

Fig. 4 is an edge view of the wheel as shown in Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 represents one of the projections of the links together with thevalve and the coupling member,

Fig. 6 is a view of a pair of the links illustrating a modification ofthe construction.

to prevent warping or disintegrating the links by the heat of the oven,and to counteract its effects.

The improved device includes coacting wheels 10 and 11, the wheel 10being preferably mounted for rotation on a shaft 12 and the wheel 11mounted to rotate with a shaft 13, the shaft 13 being the power shaftand the wheel 11 the power wheel.

The wheels 10 and 11 are formed respectively with hollow rims, and witha plurality of sockets or pockets 14 and 15, uniformly spaced.

The shaft 12 is longitudinally bored as shown at 16 and a conductor 17for steam, hot air, or the like, coupled to the shaft as shown in Fig.3. At its inner end the bore 16 of the shaft 12 is directed laterally asshown at 18, and communicates with the inner face of the hub of thewheel 10. Each of the sockets 14 of the wheel 10 is provided with aradial conductor 19 communicating respectively with the interior of thehub of the wheel, as shown in Fig. 1. By this arrangement, as the wheel10 is rotated on the stationary shaft 12, the conductor passages arecaused to consecutively communicate with the branch 18, and receive aportion of the steam or other heat imparting medium.

The shaft .13 is keyed tothe wheel 11 as shown at 11 and is supplied atits outer face and preferably partly embedded therein, with a disk 36,the latter held stationary as by a bracket indicated at 37. Extendingthrough the disk 36 near one edge is a port 38 and connected into thedisk and communieating with the port is a supply pipe 39 for the steam,hot air or the like.

Leading inwardly from each of the pockets 15 is a duct 40 each having alateral branch 41 adapted to register consecutively with the port 38 asthe wheel 11 is rotated.

Located in the bottom of each of the pockets 15 is a small spur 15' soconstructed as not to obstruct the flow of the steam through the ducts19, the object to be hereinafter explained.

The improved chain which operates over the wheels 10 and 11 is formed ofa lurality of links 20, each longitudinally ored as shown at 21 in Fig.2, and with an internally threaded socket 22 at one end externallythreaded as at 23 at the other end.

F 1ttin in each socket 22 by a threaded stem 24 1s a ball 25, the stem24 being bored as at- 26 to register with the bore 21 of the link andwith a lateral branch 27 leadlng through one side of the ball. At itsopposite end an internally threaded tubular cap 28 engages over theexternally threaded portion 23 of the link and forms a socket to receivethe ball 25 of the next link, and is contracted at its outer end toprevent the disen agement of the ball. e

y this means the links are flexibly coupled, to form an endless chainoperatm around the wheels 10 and 11, the margins o the latter being aplurality of flat faces corres onding to the lengths of the links.

ach link is formed with a longitudinally directed rib 29 and with aninternally threaded aperture at the side opposite to the rib andcommunicating with the bore 21 of the link, to receive an externallythreaded sleeve 30, the latter extending beyond the face of the link. Enaging over the pro jecting portion of the s eeve 1s a chock orprojection 31 conforming to and engageable consecutively with thesockets 14 in the wheel 10 and in the sockets 15 in the wheel 11.

With the chain formed of the flexibily coupled links 20 and disposedaround the wheels 10 and 11, as shown in Fig. 1, and motion imparted tothe shaft 13, the chocks or projections 31 engaging in the pockets ofthe wheels, motion Wlll be imparted to the chain, as will be obvious.

Each chock or projection 31 is transversely bored with each boreinternally threaded at one end to receive one of the sleeves 30 andreduced at the other end to form a valve seat to receive a valve 33,preferably a ball valve, as shown.

The bores of the members 30 are thus adapted to communicate respectivelywith the conductor passages 19.

By this means as the wheel 10 is rotated around the shaft 12, thepassages 19 consecutively register with the branch 18, and the bores 21of the links are thus supplied consecutively with steam, hot air, or thelike, and so long as the links are maintained in longitudinala-linement, or moving between the wheels, the steam or the like will beretained within the links and keep them heated while passing through theoven or kiln. So long as the links are retained in longitudinalalinement, as the wheel 11 rotates the chocks 31 consecutively enter thesockets 15 and the spurs consecutively engage the ball valves 33 andunseat them and permit the heating medium to exhaust through passa es 40and 41 and port 38 and pipe 39.

bus while the chain is passing between the wheels 10 and 11 during theoutward traverse the links 20 will retain the steam or hot air, and beexhausted and freed from the heating medium during the return traverse,and then be recharged as the pasa es 19 consecutively pass the branch18, as fore described.

A carrier or track 34 is located. beneath the upper portion of thechain, while a similar track 35 is located beneath the lower side of thechain, to prevent the sagging of the chain.

The track 34 is longitudinally channeled as indicated at 42 to receivethe chocks 31 and thus hold the links from rotation during the outwardtraverse and the track 35 is likewise longitudinally channelled as at 43to receive the ribs 29, to hold the links from rotation during thereturn traverse.

The improved device is simple in construction, can be manufactured ofany required size and capacit, and provides means for preservin the inksfrom distortion by the intense eat to which they will be subjected whenin use.

The preferred embodiment of'the invention is disclosed in the drawingsand set forth in the specification, but it will be understood thatmodifications within the scope of the claimed invention may be made inthe construction without departing from the.

principle of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages. 1

Having-thus described the invention what is claimed as new is 1. A'chainbelt formed of links flexibly coupled with continuous connectingpassages therethrough. means for supplying a heat imparting mediumconsecutively to the passages through said links at one point of thetransit of the belt, and means for exhausting the heat imparting mediumof each link at another point of the transit.

2. An endless chain belt formed of links flexibly coupled withcontinuous connecting passages therethrough, chain wheels spacedrelation over which the said chain operates. means carried by one ofsaid wheels for supplying heat imparting medium consecutively to thepassages of said links, and means for exhausting the heat impartingmedium from each link at one point in the transit of the belt.

3. A chain belt formed of links, each link having a ball at one end anda ball receiving socket at the other end, and a continuous passagethrough each link and the ball thereof, and means for supplying a heatimparting medium consecutively to the passages of said links and balls.

4. A device of the class described comprising coacting wheels havingmarginal pockets and a radial duct leading from each pocket, a chainbelt formed of hollow links flexibly coupled and operating over saidwheels, each link having. a projection adapted to consecutively engagein said pockets, a valve in each projection, and means whereby a heatingmedium is supplied to said links while passing over one of said wheelsand exhausted therefrom while passing over the other wheel.

5. A chain belt formed of hollow links flexibly coupled, a projectionfrom each link having a valved passage communicating with each link, achain wheel over which said chain operates and provided with marginalpockets to consecutively engage said projection, each pocketcommunicating with a conductor for a heat imparting medium, whereby saidlinks are consecutively supplied as they traverse over said wheel.

6. A chain belt formed of hollow links flexibly coupled, a projectionfrom each link having a valved passage communicating with each link, astationary shaft having a longitudinal bore and a lateral branch at theinner end of the bore, a wheel mounted for rotation on said shaft andconstantly covering said branch, said wheel having marginal sockets toconsecutively receive said valve projection and with a passage leadingfrom each socket and communicating respectively with said branch as thewheel is rotated, whereby a heat imparting medium supplied to the boreof said shaft is consecutively supplied to the links as they pass overthe wheel.

7 An endless chain belt formed of 1101- low links flexibly coupled,chain wheels in spaced relation over which the said chain operates,means carried by one of said wheels for supplying heat imparting mediumcon-- secutively to said links, and means carried by the other wheel forexhausting the heat imparting medium as the chain passes over i saidlast mentioned wheel.

8. A device of the class described comprising spaced shafts one of whichis stationary and longitudinally bored, the bore having a lateralbranch, a wheel mounted for rotation on said stationary shaft and havinga plurality of marginal pockets and with a duct leading radially fromeach pocket and adapted to consecutively register with the lateralbranch of the bore of said shaft, a wheel rotative with the movableshaft and having a plurality of marginal pockets with a duct leadingradially from each pocket and each duct with a lateral terminal branch,a stationary disk having a lateral exhaust port with which said, lateralbranches consecutively register as the wheel is rotated on the shaft, anendless chain belt formed of hollow links flexibly united and operatingover said wheels, each of said links having a valved projection adaptedto consecutively engage in said pockets, whereby a heat imparting mediumsupplied to the bore of said shaft is consecutively supplied to thelinks as they pass over the wheels.

9. A device of the class described comprising coacting wheelshavingmarginal pockets, longitudinally channelled supports between saidwheels, an endless chain of links flexibly united and operating oversaid wheels, each link having a projection on one side to engage in thechannel'of one of said supports and to consecutively engage in saidpockets and with a sto rib on the opposite side of each of said lin s toengage in the channel of the other support, whereby the chain isoperated and prevented from sagging and rotating.

March 22, 1922.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature hereto.

ALFRED L. crank.-

